Lily's Chocolate Cake

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Sometimes you need to eat cake. This is a great recipe for special occasions that call for cake, like birthdays. This recipe was “doctored” from the original Hershey’s chocolate cake recipe on the back of their baking cocoa. There are puréed beets in it which are nutritious and actually give the cake a nice texture. This is one secret ingredient I can honestly say enhances the recipe.

To make the purée, take no salt added canned beets with some of the juice and run in through a good blender or mini food processor. Scrape down the sides and puree a few times to make sure it has a smooth consistency.

The frosting recipe is optional, and it does not make a lot of frosting because the cake is so sweet to begin with. Use it between two layers of a two layer cake, or skip the frosting and just top with a dusting of powdered sugar.

Method

Heat oven to 350 degrees and prepare muffin pans or two 9-inch round pans with oil or cupcake liners. In mixing bowl stir together sugar, two types of flour, flax, wheat germ, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add eggs, yogurt, milk, oil, beet purée and vanilla. Beat on medium for about 2 minutes, scraping down sides halfway through. Stir in boiling water (batter is thin so turn the speed down at first to avoid splattering). Pour into pans or if baking as cupakes, fill muffin pan 3/4 or the way full.

Bake 20-25 minutes if making cupcakes or 25-30 minutes for round pans, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely. Whip frosting ingredients slowly at first and then on high for one minute. Frost sparingly.